>be me, grew up in SV >go to top tier uni for mechE/robotics

>>55403020
It's called imposter syndrome. Look it up and use it to your advantage. Basically, use what you have to your advantage. You have a robotics degree, right? USE IT! SV is begging for robotics researchers. Go work for Facebook's drone project or NASA. You have the connections, so use them.

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>>55403020
tfw early 20's no college, high school drop out working in the bay area making $106k, living in paid off car not paying any rent and saving all my money.

tfw watching dumb kids studying CS in college in massive debt.

tfw the time they're out of college I will be a technical lead and managing them.

top kekkington m8s

>>55403376
With the cost of living in the bay area your $106k salary can't buy a many goods as my $60k salary in Northwest Georgia.

fake it till you make it nigga.

Also self pity is a fucking pathetic thing and you should stop that shit right now.

also don't compare yourself to them. Set personal goals and measure yourself against your achievement or failure of said goals. You are not your "friends", you have different experiences, opportunities, situations, goals & desires.

>>55403020
you dumbass stop comparing yourself to peers in a different degree. What are the top students in YOUR program doing? Find that shit out and follow

>>55403738
me again. I really emphasise the fake it till you make it.

I've been in the software industry (in Sydney, Aus) for 5 years now. EVERYONE is faking it. We get job applications from undergrads through to PhDs that can't write a goddamn fizzbuzz in C++. Everyone I've dealt with in other organisations we're working together with has no goddamn idea - you send an API spec and they start asking questions about things that are right infront of them.

Even I did it. My first 6 months on the job was learning how to actually design a REST api and implement it with C++ in a commercial project, rather than just writing it for uni assignments. In the interview I was completely full of shit: "oh yeah I've done C++ before and I can totally do everything you want no worries". but 5 years on, yeah, I am actually a worthwhile asset to my team and I am worth the salary I demand.